China’s Alibaba Digital Media & Entertainment Group and Hong Kong’s Media Asia Group announced a slate of new projects today at Filmart.
Among the new projects are Born Evil Seed by Time Still Turns The Pages director Nick Cheuk; crime thriller The Other One by Fung Chih Chiang (A Witness Out Of The Blue); and mystery thriller Behind The Scene, directed by David Lee Kwong Yiu and produced by Andrew Lau.
Alibaba Pictures president Li Jie and Media Asia Group CEO Yip Chai Tuck both attended the joint press conference held in Filmart’s Moonlight Theatre, which saw director Soi Cheang,...
Among the new projects are Born Evil Seed by Time Still Turns The Pages director Nick Cheuk; crime thriller The Other One by Fung Chih Chiang (A Witness Out Of The Blue); and mystery thriller Behind The Scene, directed by David Lee Kwong Yiu and produced by Andrew Lau.
Alibaba Pictures president Li Jie and Media Asia Group CEO Yip Chai Tuck both attended the joint press conference held in Filmart’s Moonlight Theatre, which saw director Soi Cheang,...
- 3/11/2024
- ScreenDaily
Chinese tech and media giant Alibaba is investing $640M (Hk$5Bn) into Hong Kong’s creative industries over the next five years.
The funding will come via multiple divisions in Alibaba’s Digital Media and Entertainment Group, including Alibaba Pictures and streaming platform Youku.
The plan, called the “Hong Kong Cultural and Art Industry Revitalisation Program,” is a joint initiative of Alibaba and leading Hong Kong production companies including Edko Films, Mandarin Motion Pictures, Media Asia, Universe Entertainment, One Cool Group, Shaw Brothers and Emperor Motion Pictures.
Beijing-headquartered Alibaba Pictures also said it would make Hong Kong its second headquarters. The film outfit will also fund scholarships for 20 filmmakers studying at the Hong Kong Baptist University Academy of Film.
“Filmmakers who are rooted in the city’s culture, possess a blend of eastern aesthetics and international perspective will be the key to maintaining our distinctive competitiveness in the global motion picture market,...
The funding will come via multiple divisions in Alibaba’s Digital Media and Entertainment Group, including Alibaba Pictures and streaming platform Youku.
The plan, called the “Hong Kong Cultural and Art Industry Revitalisation Program,” is a joint initiative of Alibaba and leading Hong Kong production companies including Edko Films, Mandarin Motion Pictures, Media Asia, Universe Entertainment, One Cool Group, Shaw Brothers and Emperor Motion Pictures.
Beijing-headquartered Alibaba Pictures also said it would make Hong Kong its second headquarters. The film outfit will also fund scholarships for 20 filmmakers studying at the Hong Kong Baptist University Academy of Film.
“Filmmakers who are rooted in the city’s culture, possess a blend of eastern aesthetics and international perspective will be the key to maintaining our distinctive competitiveness in the global motion picture market,...
- 3/11/2024
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Lionsgate’s prequel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes opened at China’s movie box office in third place over the weekend, losing to two holdover local films and earning just $4.6 million. It’s just the latest disappointing performance by a U.S. franchise film in the market.
Songbirds & Snakes has earned low to middling social scores from Chinese audiences, and ticketing app Maoyan projects it will total only about $7 million by the end of its run.
Songbirds & Snakes opens eight years after the last Hunger Games title played in theaters and 12 years after the first film hit the big screen. The previous four Hunger Games films, based on Suzanne Collins’ dystopian YA novels and starring Jennifer Lawrence, all performed considerably better in China than the new title. The Hunger Games (2012) earned a total of $27 million, while The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) took $28 million, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1...
Songbirds & Snakes has earned low to middling social scores from Chinese audiences, and ticketing app Maoyan projects it will total only about $7 million by the end of its run.
Songbirds & Snakes opens eight years after the last Hunger Games title played in theaters and 12 years after the first film hit the big screen. The previous four Hunger Games films, based on Suzanne Collins’ dystopian YA novels and starring Jennifer Lawrence, all performed considerably better in China than the new title. The Hunger Games (2012) earned a total of $27 million, while The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) took $28 million, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1...
- 11/20/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Marvels‘ disappointing start at the North American box office over the weekend — $47 million, a record low for a Marvel Studios release — is adding to analysts’ concerns that superhero fatigue is an urgent and growing problem for the major studios. But in China, filmgoers have been snubbing America’s caped crusaders for far longer — and The Marvels only marks a fresh low.
The Marvels opened to just $11.5 million in China, losing the three-day weekend to holdover local crime thriller Who’s the Suspect, which earned $11.7 million. Including Thursday night previews, The Marvels‘ four-day total creeps up to $11.8 million, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway.
MCU releases have been underperforming in China since the pandemic, but The Marvels‘ face-plant is particularly striking. Back in 2019, Brie Larson’s franchise starter Captain Marvel opened to $89.3 million on its way to a strong $154 million China total. According to current projections, The Marvels will be lucky to top $20 million.
The Marvels opened to just $11.5 million in China, losing the three-day weekend to holdover local crime thriller Who’s the Suspect, which earned $11.7 million. Including Thursday night previews, The Marvels‘ four-day total creeps up to $11.8 million, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway.
MCU releases have been underperforming in China since the pandemic, but The Marvels‘ face-plant is particularly striking. Back in 2019, Brie Larson’s franchise starter Captain Marvel opened to $89.3 million on its way to a strong $154 million China total. According to current projections, The Marvels will be lucky to top $20 million.
- 11/13/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Five Chinese-language genre projects to be selected.
The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (Hkiff Society) has partnered with talent agency CAA China on an initiative to support the growth and development of Chinese-language genre projects.
The Hkiff Industry-caa China Genre Initiative (Hcg) will select five Chinese-language genre projects, which will be presented as a parallel section to next year’s Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) and scheduled to run together from March 11-13, 2024 during the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (Filmart).
Two of the selected Hcg projects will each be awarded a cash prize of $20,000 sponsored by...
The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (Hkiff Society) has partnered with talent agency CAA China on an initiative to support the growth and development of Chinese-language genre projects.
The Hkiff Industry-caa China Genre Initiative (Hcg) will select five Chinese-language genre projects, which will be presented as a parallel section to next year’s Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) and scheduled to run together from March 11-13, 2024 during the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (Filmart).
Two of the selected Hcg projects will each be awarded a cash prize of $20,000 sponsored by...
- 8/31/2023
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
CAA China has teamed up with the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society to unveil a joint initiative that will foster Chinese-language genre film projects.
The Hgc initiative will operate an open call for projects from Monday until the end of October. Five successful projects will be selected and presented at next year’s FilMart rights market and Haf project matching event.
As part of the program, “CAA China will fund $20,000 cash awards to each of two handpicked projects to support their development, with customized guidance from mentors.” CAA China may also choose to board the winning projects later by entering into script development agreements.
“We are witnessing the rise of a new generation of Chinese filmmakers who are the backbone of Chinese cinema,” said Mary Gu, CEO of CAA China. “By collaborating with Hkiff Society, our aim is to discover and support young filmmakers with industry awareness and mainstream expression.
The Hgc initiative will operate an open call for projects from Monday until the end of October. Five successful projects will be selected and presented at next year’s FilMart rights market and Haf project matching event.
As part of the program, “CAA China will fund $20,000 cash awards to each of two handpicked projects to support their development, with customized guidance from mentors.” CAA China may also choose to board the winning projects later by entering into script development agreements.
“We are witnessing the rise of a new generation of Chinese filmmakers who are the backbone of Chinese cinema,” said Mary Gu, CEO of CAA China. “By collaborating with Hkiff Society, our aim is to discover and support young filmmakers with industry awareness and mainstream expression.
- 8/31/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Two months after its New Year’s week debut in China, “Full River Red” opened in limited North American theatrical release this past Friday. The thrilling, macabre period thriller wasn’t expected to make much money in the United States over the weekend. But the somewhat nationalistic historical epic was the year’s biggest global grosser with $672 million worldwide — and its lush visuals were built for Imax.
“We’ve got policy on our side, we’ve got film supply on our side, and most importantly, we have an audience base that is truly demanding a more premium experience,” Imax’s new China CEO Daniel Manwaring told TheWrap of how Imax is future-proofing itself to thrive theatrically even amid an ecosystem challenged by Covid variables, streaming competition and even global tensions between China and the U.S.
“There’s a demographic much younger than you and me that is less discretionary...
“We’ve got policy on our side, we’ve got film supply on our side, and most importantly, we have an audience base that is truly demanding a more premium experience,” Imax’s new China CEO Daniel Manwaring told TheWrap of how Imax is future-proofing itself to thrive theatrically even amid an ecosystem challenged by Covid variables, streaming competition and even global tensions between China and the U.S.
“There’s a demographic much younger than you and me that is less discretionary...
- 3/23/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Titles include ‘Full River Red’, ‘Hidden Blade’ and ‘Wandering Earth 2’.
Wandering Earth 2, Full River Red and Hidden Blade are leading the box office race for Chinese New Year since tickets went on sale last weekend, with stars Shen Teng, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Wu Jing set to slug it out in cinemas across China.
Seven local films have been cleared for release during the highly coveted and crowded festive season, with all but one opening on January 22, the first day of the lunar new year. Since ticket sales began on Saturday (January 14), the total presale is approaching 51.6m (RMB350m) at time of press,...
Wandering Earth 2, Full River Red and Hidden Blade are leading the box office race for Chinese New Year since tickets went on sale last weekend, with stars Shen Teng, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Wu Jing set to slug it out in cinemas across China.
Seven local films have been cleared for release during the highly coveted and crowded festive season, with all but one opening on January 22, the first day of the lunar new year. Since ticket sales began on Saturday (January 14), the total presale is approaching 51.6m (RMB350m) at time of press,...
- 1/19/2023
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
Executive most recently served as head of led CAA China’s Motion Picture Group.
Daniel Manwaring has been named CEO of Imax China, effective January 9 2023. He succeeds interim CEO Jiande Chen, who will return to his full-time role as vice chairman of Imax China.
Manwaring joins Imax from CAA where he led CAA China’s Motion Picture Group since 2018 after working with the company since 2012.
The executive has lived in China since 2006 and is fluent in Mandarin. He brings years of experience working with Chinese filmmakers as well as a financial background and has played a role in building financing...
Daniel Manwaring has been named CEO of Imax China, effective January 9 2023. He succeeds interim CEO Jiande Chen, who will return to his full-time role as vice chairman of Imax China.
Manwaring joins Imax from CAA where he led CAA China’s Motion Picture Group since 2018 after working with the company since 2012.
The executive has lived in China since 2006 and is fluent in Mandarin. He brings years of experience working with Chinese filmmakers as well as a financial background and has played a role in building financing...
- 12/12/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Click here to read the full article.
Imax has named veteran Beijijng-based executive Daniel Manwaring CEO of its Imax China subsidiary.
Manwaring, who has been based in China since 2006 and speaks fluent Mandarin, joins the giant screen exhibitor from CAA, where he spent the past decade, most recently leading the agency’s China Motion Pictures Group. He succeeds interim CEO Jiande Chen, who will return to his full-time role as vice chairman of Imax China, the company said.
Imax China, which trades on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, is a vital piece of Imax’s global business. The company operates some 800 Imax theaters in China — with contracts in place for hundreds more — representing a major slice of the company’s approximately 1,700 screens around the world. After a tough year for China business due to the country’s strict “zero Covid” policies, Manwaring joins the exhibitor at an exciting moment, with...
Imax has named veteran Beijijng-based executive Daniel Manwaring CEO of its Imax China subsidiary.
Manwaring, who has been based in China since 2006 and speaks fluent Mandarin, joins the giant screen exhibitor from CAA, where he spent the past decade, most recently leading the agency’s China Motion Pictures Group. He succeeds interim CEO Jiande Chen, who will return to his full-time role as vice chairman of Imax China, the company said.
Imax China, which trades on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, is a vital piece of Imax’s global business. The company operates some 800 Imax theaters in China — with contracts in place for hundreds more — representing a major slice of the company’s approximately 1,700 screens around the world. After a tough year for China business due to the country’s strict “zero Covid” policies, Manwaring joins the exhibitor at an exciting moment, with...
- 12/12/2022
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMAX has named Daniel Manwaring as Chief Executive Officer of IMAX China, succeeding interim CEO Jiande Chen, who will return to his full-time role as Vice Chairman of IMAX China
Manwaring, who will step into his new role on Jan. 9, most recently led Creative Art Agency’s (CAA) China’s Motion Picture Group, where he acted as a bridge to and within the local market, forging relationships throughout the Chinese film community.
“Across his successful, decade-long tenure at CAA, Daniel has proven very adept at fostering blockbuster Chinese filmmaking that connects with audiences — a talent that will serve IMAX well as we strengthen our unique position at the center of the entertainment ecosystem in China,” IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond said. “Daniel’s expertise, creativity, and years of working with Chinese filmmakers, the China Film Bureau, and top film finance and distribution companies will be deeply valuable to IMAX China as...
Manwaring, who will step into his new role on Jan. 9, most recently led Creative Art Agency’s (CAA) China’s Motion Picture Group, where he acted as a bridge to and within the local market, forging relationships throughout the Chinese film community.
“Across his successful, decade-long tenure at CAA, Daniel has proven very adept at fostering blockbuster Chinese filmmaking that connects with audiences — a talent that will serve IMAX well as we strengthen our unique position at the center of the entertainment ecosystem in China,” IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond said. “Daniel’s expertise, creativity, and years of working with Chinese filmmakers, the China Film Bureau, and top film finance and distribution companies will be deeply valuable to IMAX China as...
- 12/12/2022
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Released during the Chinese New Year of 2022, this Korean War battlefield drama depicting two squads of snipers, the Chinese and their US adversaries, from Zhang Yimou and daughter Zhang Mo is a small scaled sideshow instead of an all-out warfare between the countries involved as compared to ”The Battle at Lake Changjin II”.
During the “Cold Gun Movement” of 1952, the Chinese People Volunteer Army took part in guerrilla warfare helping their northern comrades to fight the invading US troops. A group of young snipers known as The Fifth Squad led by sergeant Liu Wen Wu, a sharpshooter nicknamed “Grim Reaper” by his enemies, is one such unit. While on an extraction mission to bring back comrade Liang Liang, a spy who has vital information concerning the US army, Liu and his squad felt into a trap laid by a group of US snipers.
John, a sharpshooter himself, has been tracking...
During the “Cold Gun Movement” of 1952, the Chinese People Volunteer Army took part in guerrilla warfare helping their northern comrades to fight the invading US troops. A group of young snipers known as The Fifth Squad led by sergeant Liu Wen Wu, a sharpshooter nicknamed “Grim Reaper” by his enemies, is one such unit. While on an extraction mission to bring back comrade Liang Liang, a spy who has vital information concerning the US army, Liu and his squad felt into a trap laid by a group of US snipers.
John, a sharpshooter himself, has been tracking...
- 6/1/2022
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
“The Battle at Lake Changjin II” passed $500 million in total sales and remained unchallenged atop the mainland Chinese box office over the latest weekend.
Data from consultancy Artisan Gateway showed no positional change among the top five films on a weekend that came a week after the Chinese New Year holiday wound down.
Bona’s “Lake Changjin II” earned $43.5 million over the Friday to Sunday weekend, ahead of comedy “Too Cool to Kill” with $37.3 million over the same three days. In third place over the weekend was drama “Nice View” with $21.6 million and animation “Boonie Bears: Back to Earth” with $14.0 million. The Zhang Yimou- and Zhang Mo-directed “Snipers” was fifth over the weekend with $11 million.
Imax reported that “Lake Changjin II” earned $2.65 million from 730 venues in China over the weekend. That pushed its Imax cumulative to $30.5 million. The film’s overall cumulative stands at $524 million after only 13 days of release.
Data from consultancy Artisan Gateway showed no positional change among the top five films on a weekend that came a week after the Chinese New Year holiday wound down.
Bona’s “Lake Changjin II” earned $43.5 million over the Friday to Sunday weekend, ahead of comedy “Too Cool to Kill” with $37.3 million over the same three days. In third place over the weekend was drama “Nice View” with $21.6 million and animation “Boonie Bears: Back to Earth” with $14.0 million. The Zhang Yimou- and Zhang Mo-directed “Snipers” was fifth over the weekend with $11 million.
Imax reported that “Lake Changjin II” earned $2.65 million from 730 venues in China over the weekend. That pushed its Imax cumulative to $30.5 million. The film’s overall cumulative stands at $524 million after only 13 days of release.
- 2/14/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Patriotic blockbuster “The Battle at Lake Changjin II” earned just short of $400 million over the Chinese New Year holidays at a mainland China box office that weighed in at some $950 million.
Data from consultancy Artisan Gateway showed “Lake Changjin II” earning $152 million over the Friday to Sunday weekend, comfortably ahead of comedy “Too Cool to Kill” which took $111 million over the same three days. In third place over the weekend was drama “Nice View” with $45.4 million and animation “Boonie Bears: Back to Earth” with $38.8. The Zhang Yimou- and Zhang Mo-directed “Snipers” was fifth over the weekend with $22.7 million.
Data from other sources show that the first three days of the six-day holiday period – Tuesday to Sunday – were the strongest, indicating that the cumulative scores at the end of Sunday are more important.
“Lake Changjin II” completed its first six days in Chinese theaters with $395 million, according to Artisan Gateway.
Data from consultancy Artisan Gateway showed “Lake Changjin II” earning $152 million over the Friday to Sunday weekend, comfortably ahead of comedy “Too Cool to Kill” which took $111 million over the same three days. In third place over the weekend was drama “Nice View” with $45.4 million and animation “Boonie Bears: Back to Earth” with $38.8. The Zhang Yimou- and Zhang Mo-directed “Snipers” was fifth over the weekend with $22.7 million.
Data from other sources show that the first three days of the six-day holiday period – Tuesday to Sunday – were the strongest, indicating that the cumulative scores at the end of Sunday are more important.
“Lake Changjin II” completed its first six days in Chinese theaters with $395 million, according to Artisan Gateway.
- 2/7/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
“The Battle at Lake Changjin II” passed the $200 million landmark at the China box office at midday local time on Thursday, the film’s third day of release.
Data from Alibaba’s Beacon data tracking service showed the film lying comfortably on top of the mainland Chinese box office chart with RMB166 million (26.1 million) earned on the third morning of the Lunar New Year holidays. That gave the film a running cumulative of RMB1.271 billion or fractionally more than $200 million, using an exchange rate where one US dollar is worth 6.35 Chinese Yuan (or Renminbi).
The data from Beacon tallies with that of China Box Office’s Ent Group, which showed “Lake Changjin II” earning $100.1 million on its Tuesday opening day, followed by $84.5 million on Wednesday, for an adjusted two-day cumulative of $185 million.
In terms of market share, Beacon reports that “Lake Changjin II” enjoyed 44% of total theatrical revenues on Tuesday and 45% on Wednesday.
Data from Alibaba’s Beacon data tracking service showed the film lying comfortably on top of the mainland Chinese box office chart with RMB166 million (26.1 million) earned on the third morning of the Lunar New Year holidays. That gave the film a running cumulative of RMB1.271 billion or fractionally more than $200 million, using an exchange rate where one US dollar is worth 6.35 Chinese Yuan (or Renminbi).
The data from Beacon tallies with that of China Box Office’s Ent Group, which showed “Lake Changjin II” earning $100.1 million on its Tuesday opening day, followed by $84.5 million on Wednesday, for an adjusted two-day cumulative of $185 million.
In terms of market share, Beacon reports that “Lake Changjin II” enjoyed 44% of total theatrical revenues on Tuesday and 45% on Wednesday.
- 2/3/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
“The Battle at Lake Changjin II” lived up to its blockbuster billing with a more than $75 million box office haul by lunchtime on Tuesday, its opening day in mainland Chinese theaters.
The film, aka “Watergate Bridge” had grossed RMB487 million ($76.5 million) by 1.30 pm, according to online ticketing agency Maoyan and Alibaba’s Beacon data service. At this pace a $100 million opening day is possible.
State media has forecast that the film may propel the Chinese New Year week to over $1 billion and that the 149-minute film could eventually become the highest-grossing film of all time in China.
To do that, it would have to surpass “The Battle at Lake Changjin” which was released on Oct. 1, 2021 and, over a prolonged run in cinemas, earned $913 million to become the second biggest film worldwide in 2021, behind “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
Despite the short interval between the two outings, there is a reasonable chance...
The film, aka “Watergate Bridge” had grossed RMB487 million ($76.5 million) by 1.30 pm, according to online ticketing agency Maoyan and Alibaba’s Beacon data service. At this pace a $100 million opening day is possible.
State media has forecast that the film may propel the Chinese New Year week to over $1 billion and that the 149-minute film could eventually become the highest-grossing film of all time in China.
To do that, it would have to surpass “The Battle at Lake Changjin” which was released on Oct. 1, 2021 and, over a prolonged run in cinemas, earned $913 million to become the second biggest film worldwide in 2021, behind “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
Despite the short interval between the two outings, there is a reasonable chance...
- 2/1/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
After being forced to sit out the annually lucrative Chinese New Year period as the Covid crisis was just beginning in 2020, Chinese box office blasted to an all-time high during the comparable 2021 session. This week, the Year of the Tiger will be ushered in with eight movies beginning February 1, and with potential new records on the horizon. Last year in the world’s biggest box office market, the week-long holiday reached Rmb 7.8B ($1.2B at historical rates).
The first full weekend of this Lunar New Year’s festivities dovetails with the beginning of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. It’s likely that Friday’s opening ceremony will be widely watched at home, but tickets to the Games are not being sold to the general public in an attempt to avoid further Covid flare-ups. Box office could still see some impact.
The first full weekend of this Lunar New Year’s festivities dovetails with the beginning of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. It’s likely that Friday’s opening ceremony will be widely watched at home, but tickets to the Games are not being sold to the general public in an attempt to avoid further Covid flare-ups. Box office could still see some impact.
- 1/31/2022
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
China’s cinema box office trod water in the weekend ahead of the Chinese New Year holidays and an imminent surge of new release titles. These mean that the next few days could add up to the biggest week in Chinese movie history.
Over the latest weekend, though, the nationwide aggregate was a paltry $21.4 million, the lowest weekend this year, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway.
“Fireflies in the Sun,” a Wanda Pictures-backed thriller, said to be a remake of “John Q,” climbed back to first place with a $4.1 million take. It was first released in mid-December and has now built a cumulative of $174 million.
Patriotic pandemic film “Embrace Again” slipped to second place with $3.9 million, giving a running total of $148 million. Comedy, “Another Me” took $2.9 million for a $73 million cumulative since release on Jan. 1, 2022. Chinese crime thriller “G Storm” earned $2.8 million over the weekend for a total...
Over the latest weekend, though, the nationwide aggregate was a paltry $21.4 million, the lowest weekend this year, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway.
“Fireflies in the Sun,” a Wanda Pictures-backed thriller, said to be a remake of “John Q,” climbed back to first place with a $4.1 million take. It was first released in mid-December and has now built a cumulative of $174 million.
Patriotic pandemic film “Embrace Again” slipped to second place with $3.9 million, giving a running total of $148 million. Comedy, “Another Me” took $2.9 million for a $73 million cumulative since release on Jan. 1, 2022. Chinese crime thriller “G Storm” earned $2.8 million over the weekend for a total...
- 1/31/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Eight local titles come out in China on February 1
The Battle At Lake Changjin II looks set to conquer the China box office when it hits cinemas on February 1, which marks the first day of the highly lucrative Chinese New Year holiday.
At time of writing, the action sequel has clocked up more than $40m (RMB258m) in advance ticket sales for its opening day alone, according to real-time box-office data from the country’s leading online ticketing platform Maoyan.
The release of the 1950s-set patriotic war epic was only officially announced less than three weeks ago as a late...
The Battle At Lake Changjin II looks set to conquer the China box office when it hits cinemas on February 1, which marks the first day of the highly lucrative Chinese New Year holiday.
At time of writing, the action sequel has clocked up more than $40m (RMB258m) in advance ticket sales for its opening day alone, according to real-time box-office data from the country’s leading online ticketing platform Maoyan.
The release of the 1950s-set patriotic war epic was only officially announced less than three weeks ago as a late...
- 1/30/2022
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
Last year finally saw the premiere of Zhang Yimou’s drama One Second and the release of his spy thriller Cliff Walkers. While we’re still awaiting the release of his crime drama Under the Light, the seasoned director is now back with a new Korean War film, co-directed with his daughter Zhang Mo. Sharpshooter, formerly titled The Coldest Gun, will now get a release in China on February 1, 2022 and the first trailer has arrived.
Starring Chen Yongsheng, Zhang Yu, and Zhang Yi, the film follows the real-life story of a 22-year-old sniper named Zhang Dagong, who battled U.S. troops during the Korean War, killing or injuring a record 214 American soldiers in 32 days. With a release timed to the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, producer Tan Fei said, “With historical facts, the film is going to make audiences once again realize that although the U.S. is strong,...
Starring Chen Yongsheng, Zhang Yu, and Zhang Yi, the film follows the real-life story of a 22-year-old sniper named Zhang Dagong, who battled U.S. troops during the Korean War, killing or injuring a record 214 American soldiers in 32 days. With a release timed to the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, producer Tan Fei said, “With historical facts, the film is going to make audiences once again realize that although the U.S. is strong,...
- 1/3/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Censorship
Malaysian authorities have declined to approve the Chinese war movie “The Battle at Lake Changjin” for theatrical release after outrage emerged online that the film promotes Communism, which is banned in the country.
The film’s local distributor Mega Film Distribution said in a statement that it is considering submitting the title again for reconsideration by the Malaysian Film Censorship Board (Lpf), and expressed its regrets that the film which has grossed $890 million so far in China had not been green lit for its Nov. 18 release.
It denied that the film promotes communism, stating, according to local reports, that such accusations were “unfair [to] those who want to watch it.”
“We believe the audience can use this film to trace how the Chinese volunteer army fought in the extreme cold and harsh environment,” it said.
The three-hour-long film tells the story of a 1950 battle at the titular lake, also known as the Chosin Reservoir,...
Malaysian authorities have declined to approve the Chinese war movie “The Battle at Lake Changjin” for theatrical release after outrage emerged online that the film promotes Communism, which is banned in the country.
The film’s local distributor Mega Film Distribution said in a statement that it is considering submitting the title again for reconsideration by the Malaysian Film Censorship Board (Lpf), and expressed its regrets that the film which has grossed $890 million so far in China had not been green lit for its Nov. 18 release.
It denied that the film promotes communism, stating, according to local reports, that such accusations were “unfair [to] those who want to watch it.”
“We believe the audience can use this film to trace how the Chinese volunteer army fought in the extreme cold and harsh environment,” it said.
The three-hour-long film tells the story of a 1950 battle at the titular lake, also known as the Chosin Reservoir,...
- 11/22/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Zhang Yimou has been hard at work alongside his daughter Zhang Mo shooting his upcoming blockbuster “Sniper,” which is now set for an October release, its production firm said.
The project was explicitly conceived as a nationalistic commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, known in China as the “War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.” Although no specific date was set for its debut, it will presumably land in time for the patriotic National Day holiday, which runs from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7 and is one of the best release windows of the year. The timing was announced by Enlight Media CEO Wang Changtian.
“Sniper” is Zhang Yimou’s fourth movie in three years. It is based on the true story of sharpshooter Zhang Taofang, a young army recruit who at age 22 set a record during the Korean War by reportedly killing or wounding 214 American soldiers with 435 shots in just 32 days.
The project was explicitly conceived as a nationalistic commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, known in China as the “War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.” Although no specific date was set for its debut, it will presumably land in time for the patriotic National Day holiday, which runs from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7 and is one of the best release windows of the year. The timing was announced by Enlight Media CEO Wang Changtian.
“Sniper” is Zhang Yimou’s fourth movie in three years. It is based on the true story of sharpshooter Zhang Taofang, a young army recruit who at age 22 set a record during the Korean War by reportedly killing or wounding 214 American soldiers with 435 shots in just 32 days.
- 3/9/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
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